For our most recent cruise, my DH and I were on the Conquest. It was a beautiful ship! On one of the sea days, we went up to Lido Deck to lounge and read. We could not find chairs together, so we ended up sharing a single lounger. It was fine, DH just leaned againest my knees! When we wanted lunch, we gathered up our stuff so as not to keep others from enjoying the chairs and sun while we were gone. When we came back, we could still only find the single odd chair. Because a show was set to start soon, we started watching for "towel chairs" that would afford us a better view and be more comfortable.

After watching a group of chairs for 30 minutes (which were also vacant before we went to lunch), we decided to move in. We asked the people around if the chairs were occupied, were told no one had been there for at least 2 hours and proceeded to put the towels from two chairs onto another.

After almost an hour, a woman comes up to us, yelling about us being in her chairs. We told her we'd watched the chairs for at least an hour and no one had sat down even once. We also told her we'd been sitting there for over an hour! I directed her to the sign about not saving chairs, and she continued to scream at us. We finally just ignored her, she stalked off.

How long would you have waited to claim a vacant chair? How would you handle this situation?

I would only wait about 10 minutes, providing that there were no personal effects left behind. If it's empty, it's empty. Give them a couple minutes incase they had to go somewhere, but what if in the meantime, someone else goes and takes them??

I tried posting earlier - but my post never arrived. So, sorry if this is a duplicate.....

How to annoy other passengers........

Set this up............

A line of six sunbeds with sun tan lotion tucked under towels which are in turn tucked into the sun beds. You need to do this at about 7:30am and then settle down in another sunbed a few feet away.

You'll need to wait until around about 9:30am before the action really kicks off. Then you can observe people making remarks and getting into those disucssions which go 'Isn't it rude how some people........'. 'Oh, I know....'.

If things are not hotting up to your liking, you can jig things along a bit by going over and using some of the sun tan lotion before tucking it back in it's place. Try occasionally pattting some of the bottles or better still throw one of the (sealed) bottles into the hot tub for five minutes before returning it to it's sunbed. Alternatively, go for a swim with one of the sun tan lotion bottles.

Once you've gained the attention of everybody you can enter into conversation with somebody about it all. Don't make this easy. Speak in a foreign (to them) language. Try German, French - or Swedish which is easy to invent and you're unlikely to have any Swedes around to argue with. Explain that the sunbeds are not reserved and that they are actually in use. Say that they have been there since 05:30am. Point out that the bottles are cold and need to be tucked under their blankets. Point at the sky/sun and then put you hands out to the side and say 'Que?'.

Allow yourself to be escorted away by the ship's security officer, saying 'See you later my little ones' safe in the knowledge that you've made people pretty angry for a couple of hours rounded off with some light entertainment in the form of 'There's a complete nutter over there' and with the added advantage that for the rest of the voyage you'll be left free to enjoy the sun surounded by plenty of empty sunbeds.

Pete :o)
Ps. I'm joking ok?
Pic was taken onboard QM2 Maiden. After two hours - at about 11:30am. It wasn't me who set it up. Honest!!!!!!!!!!!!

AshleyP.
I had the same thing happen on the Pride last summer. Every morning about 7:00 I went to the Lido to have coffee while my husband slept. Each morning I noticed the same woman who traveled with a large party (about 15) come as soon as deck chairs were laid out and started placeing assorted items on the chairs to save them. They were always the first row by the pool. One particular morning after coffee, breakfast etc I went to the Lido to lay-out. Now mind you this is about 9:30-10:00 in the morning. All deck chairs are occupied except those she had saved. I wanted a chair and the only ones available were the ones she saved. I chose the very last one on "her" row so as not to divide her family if they were ever to show up. They began to trickle in little by little. After about 30 to 40 minutes after I "stole" her chair she showed up with the rest of the clan. Well guess what? They were a chair short. Now let me back up a bit. The chair I "stole" had a hair brush on it so I just moved it to the next chair. Well, she decided that she was going to get her chair back. She told me that was her chair I was in. I told here that the chair was not being occupied by a person and that I had been in it at least 30 minutes already. She was not having any of this. She went on a rant about how she claimed the chairs and that I couldn't take it. This went on for a few minutes. It was embarrasing. I tried to ignore her hoping she would cease but she was determined. Finally I had enough. When she got ugly I finally told her that if she wanted this chair she was going to have to take me out. That was the end. Of course I had to endure her snide comments and those of her fellow passengers. My husband was so embarrased he left me there alone. I must say that I did a mild ovation from some of the passengers that heard the exchange. I can understand one person holding a chair for someone. But to claim chairs and not use them is depriving someone else from enjoying the same privilege. I relayed this post on another board and someone said I should have told this woman that there was no way her brush was going to have a better seat on that ship than me. I wish I could have thought of something witty like that to say. It may have difused the situation. So I guess the moral of my post here is if you want a deck chair park your butt in it not your brush. If you see an empty chair that hasn't been used than you have every right to use it.
Arlene

Ok....this actually happened and I was dumbfounded. I was laying on a chair and my daughter was next to me in her own. She said she wanted to go get an ice cream. I then proceeded to put her sandals on her chair to save it for the few minutes while she was gone. A foreign gentleman comes over with his wife and there is only one empty chair next to my daughters. She sits there and he proceeds to park his butt on my daughters just so as not to disturb her sandals. I said that chair was being occupied and he totally ignored me! When my daughter came back she was a little shocked as I tried to explain to her what happened and he is ignoring the whole situation. Well after she stood there a few minutes....I told her to park her butt down in that chair right next to him (so they were sitting on the sides of the chair facing opposite directions). She did....it looked quite funny.....but he still wouldn't budge. Talk about rude and stubborn! She should have accidentally dropped the ice cream on him or something. lol

I would have told them to take it up with the pool area manager. Since saving seats is "against the rules" and everyone around there could back you up on how long you waited, they would have been told to find another seat - I would hope.

I have never been so thankful that sitting in the chairs on the deck just isn't my "thing" - too much fun stuff to do on board! It's amazing how rude and inconsiderate people can be about something so trivial.

I think you did the right thing. I suppose you could have gotten up to get the pool mgr. involved, but she would have *certainly* taken your chair!

There's no answer to this business of 'reserving sun beds'. The crew do not like to act as sun bed police and liberate beds that appear to be vacant. People have been reserving beds for years and will continue to do so.

Actually. It's not true. There is a solution that WE would all hate.

Sun beds will be rented out by the hour. Like they do in some beach resorts.

If I were an enterprising crewmember in charge of setting up the pool area, I would place a towel or some other article on each chair as it was set up. The chair hogs would come out and see that the prime spots were already occupied, and move on. As the morning progressed, the crewmember could assist people looking for a place to relax by picking up articles "left by someone who hadn't be there for a while". The tips would come rolling in.

Maybe I'll sign on for that job myself. It would beat working for a living, and sounds like the next-best thing to running away and joining the circus.

I think it is OK to "save" a lounger or 2 for a short period of time - say 10 minutes. (Someone might have gone to the washroom or to get a drink.) After that I feel no guilt about moving a towel or something else. And as far as saving 15 loungers - forget it - I would move a towel immediately..

I know how frustrating it can be to get a pool chair. My first thread on this website was "How do I get a pool chair?" which was after my first cruise.

Well after four cruises I've taken the stress out of my cruises. I don't even bother for a pool chair anymore. If I want to read I go find a nice spot on the ship, there are many in the bar areas that overlook the water and there I can order a nice drink or coffee and enjoy my book.

I enjoy the solarium/spa pools the best. The people are more civilized and I get to destress in the warm spa water. If I get a chaise lounge fine, if not I don't care.

A cruise should be a wonderful experience, don't let it be ruined by rude pool people. It's not worth it.

I know getting a tan is very important to people, I guess it doesn't phase me to sweat in the sun because I live in South Florida and sitting in the sun is not my thing.

Jean - thank you.
I think it is unacceptable to snag ones deck chair because they leave it for a few minutes to get a drink, bathroom etc. Especially if someone points out that the chair is still being used. I think we can all tell when a chair is legitamatly (ok I can't spell) being used or perpetually saved. That is plain rude. I think I would have re-claimed the chair and streached my legs out until that nasty man left. What is he going to do? Go Tell?

I am going on RCCL's Grandeur of the Seas, and it is my first cruise. I plan on soaking up some sun. Is it truly that hard to find a lounger? If I see 15 in a row saved, after 10-15minutes its a free for all for me. And I have no problem standing my own if someone says thats their chair.

I agree 30 min max... then the chair is up for grabs. It rude to hold chairs if you are not going to be in them. Does sound like there isnt enough chairs either. I did read u can find plenty of seating up in the topless deck area.

You guys have me all scared that when I decide to go in the pool for 20 or 30 minutes that I am being rude by leaving my towel/stuff on the chair while I swim, even though I am coming right back to the chair. Isn't it possible some of these people who are gone more than 10 but less than 30 minutes are actually in the pool?

Hasn't happened to me yet, thankfully. But what do people do in that situation?

If someone got out of the pool and said thats my chair I would understand, but it is another thing to set your towel out at 9:30am and do whatever you want for a few hours and expect to come back at 11am and think somone is going to give up the seat. I would use judgement in any given situation. I wouldn't take a chair or I would give it back if someone was actually swimming and using the pool area. Kar06, it probably hasn't happened to you because people understand you are using the pool or the pool area. I think our gripe is if somone sets their stuff out and then does not use the pool area until 2 hours later thinking they can have the chair. You are not saving a chair ..you are using the pool/lounge area.

Kar06, it 's wouldn't be that hard, if you got out of the pool dripping wet and said" that was my chair", then assuming the chair hadn't been vacant for more than 30 minutes or so, I would say" oops sorry, my mistake". Now if I was sitting in a chair for an hour, one that I had watched for 30 min. and seen vacant. and then you walked up( not wet) I would say tough patooties, the chair had been vacant for 1 1/2 hours it's mine go get a crew member if you have a problem. I also like the line" no towel gets a better seat than me"
I refuse to be bullied by self - centred people. I let it happen once to me and I will not allow it to happen again. My husband and I sat on two lounge chairs that had one towel draped across both of them. They had been empty for at least the 45 minutes that it took us to eat some pizza and have a drink ( in chairs in the shade) . We finally " stole" them, well the two most loudest , ladies arrived after we had been sitting in them for at least another 45 minutes!!!!!!That's right they had been saved for at least 1 1/2 hours. Well we got up and let those obnoxious cows have " their " seats.Quite frankly as Canadians we do not relish "making a scene" so we went quietly.. We won't this time. Never again! We will wait , and we will watch, and we will of course apoligize if we make a misstake, but it isn't too difficult to ask people around if the seats have been vacant for a long time.
We also are early risers , so now that we know how hard it is to get a seat we will just go out earlier( and sit down , not deposit towels!)

PS Does anyone have an idea on which lines this is the most problem? I don't recall it ever being that bad on our two Carnival cruises. Princess was a problem though.

I VE BEEN TO MANY A POOLS ITS EASY TO TELL WHEN SOMEONE IS USING A CHAIR /LOUNGER VERSUS JUST LEAVING STUFF THEIR AND NEVER ATTENDING TO IT. USUALLY THINGS MOVE, TANNING LOTION IS EASLIY FOUND, BOOKS AROUND, GLASSES WITH COCKTAILS ARE NEXT TO THE CHAIR. iTS THE CHAIRS THAT NEVER LOOK ANY DIFFERNET. THE FOLDED TOWEL IS IN THE SAM SPOT, NO SHOES ARE BY THE CHAIR ETC... I THINK PEOPLE CAN RECONGINIZE IF YOU ARE USING IT OR TRYING TO HOLD IT

PG - it becomes more of a problem as the number of passengers goes up. The ships can be built to carry more people, but it's pretty hard to add an extra sun deck. It's just a case that the space provided cannot keep pace with the additional capacity of the ships.